Windows – Microphone not working in Windows Virtual PC (on Windows 7)

microsoft-virtual-pcwindows 7

I'm using Windows Virtual PC on Windows 7 (host) running Windows XP (as the Guest O/S). I'm trying to get the Microphone working.

When I Enable Integration Features:

  • Microphone does not work
    • When I run the Sound Recorder, the record button is disabled. If I look at Sound settings, there are no options for the Mic (it's all disabled "grayed out").
  • Speakers work
  • Copy & Paste works
  • Drag & Drop does not work.

When I Disable Integration Features:

  • Microphone and speakers work
  • Copy and Paste does not (as expected)

Drag'n Drop copying does not work in either situation.

There seems to be no way to assign a folder on the Host to be a drive letter (accessible via just the drive letter (e:\, etc.) on the Client.

What I've Tried

  • Verified that the Windows XP Mode Virtual PC guest also has the same symptoms (Mic doesn't work) and audio out (speakers) do work.

  • Uninstall and Reinstall the Integration addin for Virtual PC

  • Changing a setting in the .vmc file:

  1. Ensure that the VM (and may be even vpc.exe) is not running.
  2. Go to %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows
    Virtual PC\
  3. Open Virtual Windows XP.vmc file
  4. Go to the tag and add a sub tag:
    "
<audio_redirect
> type="boolean">false</audio_redirect> "
  1. Start the VM/Virtual Application
    This solution was from a Microsoft Forum

Also, this happens on every Client I have within Virtual PC (with several O/S's on the Clients: XP, 7 and I think Vista)

UPDATE: I seem to remember being told that VPC only supports a USB Mic, not the built in Mic.

Best Answer

This might help (from Recording in a virtual machine/microphone) :

Found a setting in the .vmc where I changed from false to true:

<sound>
  <sound_adapter>
    <enable type="boolean">true</enable>
  </sound_adapter>
</sound>

I don't get the built in microphone to work (why??), but the microphone in my MS web-cam works.

The above solution should be tried both with Integration Features enabled/disabled. Some people had luck with completely uninstalling and reinstalling them and rebooting,

The only way of really getting around the virtual hardware in the VM that I am aware of, is the use of USB devices which should transparently work as designed within the VM.

If you are thinking about giving up on Virtual PC, then I suggest VirtualBox, which is both free and excellent quality.

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